Bread & Tomato Salad

Description:

When it's too hot to cook, just step outside and gather tomatoes and basil from your garden, cut up some day-old country bread and make this flavorful, easy salad, our take on the classic Italian bread salad known as panzanella.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 cups diced seeded tomatoes, (1 1/2 pounds)

2 cups cubed whole-wheat country bread, (5 ounces), crusts removed

1/4 cup thinly slivered red onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

4 4-1/2-ounce cans sardines, (see Ingredient note), optional

Preparation:

1

Whisk oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add tomatoes, bread, onion, basil and capers. Toss to combine. Let the salad sit for about 5 minutes to allow it to absorb the dressing's flavors, stirring occasionally. Serve at room temperature.